Rate the Song: Stay (Faraway, So Close!)

[digitize]

Today ushers in voting for the first half of Zooropa.

Please rate Stay (Faraway, So Close!) on a scale from 0 to 10, using whatever criteria you feel allows you to best evaluate the song as a whole. I will not set criteria for people to based on, but if you feel like your best evaluation of the merits of a song comes from voting only based on, say, the studio version, go right ahead and vote that way. Full information on the Rate The Song series may be found in this thread.

Have fun! This poll will close in 96 hours.

 

[Galeongirl]

8. I enjoy Stay a lot, the studio version and '93 live version with the full band are good. But the acoustic live versions? Meh.

 

[An Cat Gav]

8. I enjoy Stay a lot, the studio version and '93 live version with the full band are good. But the acoustic live versions? Meh.

Agreed, the acoustic versions are meh.

Studio cut though is perfect.
Maybe U2's greatest ever video too.
10

 

[waynetravis]

ZooTV version

 

[Babydoll]

One of, if not my favorite songs.

 

[flybabe]

Beautiful. 9.

 

[theedgeu2]

This is my all time favorite song by anyone ever. It's one of a few songs that can really make me cry, it's just so damn beautiful. When I first bought and listened to Zooropa this was one of the first and only songs I really connected with. Holds a special place with me and always takes me back to the time period I first listened to it. The ZooTv Sydney version is fantastic also. And I have no hate at all for the acoustic performances. If not for acoustic I probably wouldn't have seen Stay in Philadelphia this summer. Made my night when they played it.

There my love for this song has been expressed.

 

[Scorpionac]

I feel silly giving 10s to half of AB and half of Zooropa, but it is what it is.

 

[coolian2]

i think i'm going to be dishing out the most 10s on this album since the 80s.

 

[prbiker15]

My favorite track on Zooropa. I would have killed to hear it last summer, even acoustically, as I got North Star at my show (which I enjoyed) - I have faith that I will get to hear Stay in the future. But anyways, an incredible track. Easy 10.

 

[gvox]

I'm sick to death of the acoustic live versions, but the studio cut is amazing. Edge's guitar during the chorus is heartbreaking.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

both this song (and wowy, funnily enough) are strange. i never used to understand why people fawned over them and thought they were so amazing. i used to skip past stay most of the times i'd listen to zooropa. then when i heard it live, it clicked for me and i finally "got" the song.

 

[trojanchick99]

One of my very favorite songs. It contains some of Bono's best lyrics.

 

[The_acrobat]

This song is the result of all involved people and forces acheiving their absolute peak at the exact same time. The album version is my favorite song of all time, and I've felt that way since I first heard it at age 13, back in 1995.

If I could give it more than 10, I would. This song, by all rights, should've been a HUGE hit. The fact that it wasn't makes it even more special.

 

[digitize]

I'm kind of thinking that the first half of Zooropa may be my favorite run of songs on a U2 album ever.

 

[An Cat Gav]

I'm kind of thinking that the first half of Zooropa may be my favorite run of songs on a U2 album ever.

I think so too, Babyface brings it down a little, but Numb, lemon and Stay must be the most musically diverse run of songs in U2's career.

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm kind of thinking that the first half of Zooropa may be my favorite run of songs on a U2 album ever.

For the high points alone, I tend to agree. I've already given out two 10s, and I only gave out one 10 throughout the entirety of AB.

Only the first half of TUF comes close.

 

[The Panther]

I score this song a '10', and it's far and away the best song on Zooropa, for me. I always enjoy the wonderful lyrics to this one. I suspect if U2 lyrics are isolated on the printed page, this particular song's might hold up to close scrutiny better than any other's. More importantly, though, what a beautiful melody.

 

[Aardvark747]

ZooTV version

yep. 10.

 

[Globo14]

I'd give this an 8.5, but decimals round up, so it's a 9. Really enjoy this one. I don't know why, but the progression during the verses really strikes a chord with me (pun extremely intended).

I do enjoy the acoustic version. One of the few U2 acoustic versions I actually enjoy. Nevertheless, the full band version is a cut above.

 

[Nick66]

The live acoustic version is better, but still the best song on Zooropa without a singer named Cash.

the progression during the verses really strikes a chord with me.

+1

I do enjoy the acoustic version.

+1.1

it's far and away the best song on Zooropa, for me. I always enjoy the wonderful lyrics to this one. I suspect if U2 lyrics are isolated on the printed page, this particular song's might hold up to close scrutiny better than any other's. More importantly, though, what a beautiful melody.

Indeed.

 

[LemonMelon]

Larry's cold, hollow drum tone (how perfectly appropriate) is enough to place the full band version above the acoustic performances. And I've always admired Edge's guitar tone throughout the song...it sounds so inherently melancholy.

 

[lemonfly]

This song gives me chills. It is elegiac yet strangely uplifting at the same time, in that way only U2 do best. Vocally and lyrically, Bono is just breathtaking. One of their best ever songs (and the Zoo TV acoustic performance is a real gem). A resounding 10.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Stunning track. Best tune on the album.

10.

 

[Scorpionac]

Edge's guitar during the chorus is heartbreaking.

Not the superlative I'd choose, but it's definitely something special.

 

[gvox]

I'll rephrase: if hearts make a sound when they break, it sounds like Edge's guitar during the chorus of Stay.

Yep, that's about right.

 

[Globo14]

A full electric version of this would be a welcome addition to any U2 tour, especially the next one.

 

[Nick66]